Title says it all! I was at my local gunshop in the gumnsmithy area, when what did I see but an original 1872 Open Top! The barrel was bobbed to about 4.5 Inches, steel army grip, and no ejector rod assembly. It was intact and functioning.

Problem was, it had been given a parkerized Manganese Phosphate finish! Wash my eyes out with soap!

It wasn't for sale. The guy brought it to the gunsmith and had him parkerize it because it was ugly. Can manganese phosphate be removed? If there was any way to shoot it, but there is no way. Even if you turned some brass cases and used short rimfire blanks like the old Spencer rounds that some made before centerfire conversion blocks were available, there would be no room for enough powder. That would be a cool piece of history to own, though.

I'll bet - with a little work one could install a Uberti Open Top hammer, open up the recoil shield, add Uberti Ejector Assembly parts, run a lighter spring and have a shooter. Or even a Uberti Richards Mason conversion hammer.

At this point, no harm no foul. It's already just a stupid Paper Weight. Gunsmith that agreed to do the deed hath no shame.

Tis' a shame for sure! When I first layed eyes on the picture it reminded me of a Ruger Wrangler having the top strap cut off! What some guys do to perfectly good classic firearms. Saw a picture of a pristine Remington 81 rifle that some guy had drilled and tapped the receiver of and mounted a red dot scope. Besides ruining a untouched receiver and the previous value of the rifle, the red dot just didn't look right on that rifle.

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Darksider-1911 Shooter-BOLD Chambers-RATS-SCORRS-STORM-1860 Henry(1866)-Colt Handgun Lover an' Fan-NRA-"RiverRat"-Conservative American Patriot and Former Keeper & Enforcer of the Law an' Proud of Being Both! >oo

You?ve given me another idea there Major. I?ve never thought about building something to display my bayonets in-on? Might have to do something with that idea. Presently they?re scattered all around my reloading room and safes. A hinged front shadow box like I built for my wife?s Baltimore Oriole baseball card collection would look good.

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"Give'em hell, Pike" There is no horse so dead that you cannot continue to beat it.